A/N A silly, mushy, short little thing I wrote after being pissed off after 'The Acid Queen.' It's stupid, I guess, since the "pick your battles" lesson wasn't bad. I just felt like H/J needed a nice moment. I mean…alright…the show is (was) a comedy. I get that. It just seems like Jackie and Hyde's relationship gets (got) screwed over in the quest for comedy sometimes. Oh well.

You're Hot

"Jackie, I see what's going on here. You're insecure."

"Oh, I am not insecure. This is a designer shirt, this is designer eye shadow, these are designer boots and they make me feel very secure." She sat back on the couch, closed her eyes and tried very hard to ignore the body next to her. He was warm and safe…but he hurt her. And he wouldn't take it back. She stood up, blinking back tears and quickly ran down to the basement before her tears began to make wet tracks down her cheeks.

Red looked over at Hyde with anger, and Kitty reached across the couch and slapped his shoulder.

"Now, look, son." Red made eye contact and held it. "It's one thing if you want to screw yourself over by being a sarcastic dumbass. But you don't go around making your girlfriend cry."

"You should feel nothing right now but ashamed. You…MAN!" Kitty stormed up the stairs after her outburst.

"You see what you got me in to? You better go set things straight with your little girlfriend before you're wearing your ass for a hat!"

"But, I mean, she knows she's hot. She does. Why would she need me to say it?"

Red rolled his eyes at the question.

"Why, exactly, does that bother you so much?" He let out a deep sigh and went to the bar to mix his wife a drink before following her to the bedroom.

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The room was empty and quiet as she headed for the couch, but she was surprised by the thundering of footsteps on the stairs before she even sat down. She didn't look back at Hyde, instead plopped onto the couch and used her fingers to try and smooth out her makeup and hide the fact that she had been crying.

"Jackie." Hyde stood behind the couch staring at the back of her perfectly styled hair.

She stood and turned around with a false smile, hoping that he wouldn't notice the dark circles under her red eyes.

"Steven…I was just on my way out…to the mall…to look for…uhhh…new…dishes…" She was almost out the door before he had a chance to take her in…his gorgeous girlfriend. Who had been crying because he was too stubborn to give in…even just a little. Not wanting to lie and being downright cold in his reply were two totally different things.

"Jackie!" She stopped at the urgent, authoritative sound in his voice. "Sit!" He threw it out as a direct order, and one that confused her. Her first instinct was to turn around and head back to the couch, aware that he had something he wanted to say. Her second instinct was to pull away from any attempt he was trying at authority. Feet moving toward the door again, she was surprised to be stopped this time by a gentle hand on her shoulder and a warm breath almost at her ear.

"Jackie. Please. Please sit down on the couch with me for a few minutes. And then if you still need to go to the mall…" He trailed off, shrugging his shoulders.

Sighing deeply, she followed him back to the couch and sat down timidly near him, consciously moving so that they didn't touch. Hyde rolled his eyes at this move and was about to comment when he caught her eyes again.

He saw pain. Fresh and raw and deeper than he had expected. For the first time, he understood. Well, he understood something.

"Jackie." He was whispering again, and though he made no move to touch her, he moved toward his girlfriend and held her steady gaze.

"I'm sorry, okay? I got a little carried away in not wanting to have to lie…I sort of overlooked, that…maybe…I…was acting a little…" He trailed off, rolling his eyes. He sucked at apologies.

"Are you saying you're sorry for being an asshole?" Her eyes hardened a little, covering up hurt in preparation for his answer.

"Yes, Jackie, I am." She was surprised by the lack of sarcasm in his voice. "I… Look. Brooke is hot, and I'm not going to take it back. She's hot, okay? There are a million girls in the world who are hot."

She was near the brink of tears again, and was about to stand up and leave, but Hyde reached his hand out and pushed her back into the couch and moved closer to her.

"You're so sexy, Jackie." He was whispering in her ear again, talking to the soft flesh of her neck before rising to meet her eyes. "You're hot…you know you are, I know you are, all of fucking Point Place knows you are. You're at least as hot as Brooke. You're the hottest girl I've ever been with. I…you know… Would it make you feel better to know that…every time I see you I feel…lucky. Especially when we're in my room, and you're underneath me and…I know that you're…mine." He sat up and shook his head gruffly, suddenly embarrassed of the words that had just flowed from his mouth, unplanned and unchecked.

Jackie looked at him from her seat on the couch in awe. She realized that she was crying again when he reached out and brushed away tears. He shook his head sadly as she continued her crying, looking defeated, before she launched herself into his arms, holding him as tightly as possible while nuzzling her face into the warm crook of his neck. His arms wrapped around her, and he breathed in the smell of coconut shampoo as he held his tiny cheerleader tightly.

A faint whisper came from his neck, so soft he wasn't sure if he was intended to hear it.

"I love you, too, Steven."

His arms tightened around her as he crushed her small frame into his chest. Yeah. Pretty lucky.